József Topál, of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, told U.K.'s The Telegraph that increasing evidence shows that humans and dogs share social skills -- and that the cognitive function of dogs resembles babies ranging from six months to two years old.

The researcher also told the paper that dogs appear to react to eye contact -- as do babies.

During the study, researchers presented dogs with video recordings of a person turning toward one of two identical plastic pots while an eye tracker captured information on the dogs' reactions, The Telegraph reported. In one instance, the person looked directly at the dog, addressing it in a high-pitched voice, saying "Hi dog!" Next, someone, speaking low and avoiding eye contact, said, "Hi dog."

The upshot? Dogs were more inclined to follow the person and look at the pot when the person was more engaging.

"Our findings reveal that dogs are receptive to human communication in a manner that was previously attributed only to human infants," Topál told The Telegraph.

When their dog disappeared four years ago, the Willey family of Owings Mills searched and searched. They combed their neighborhood, they called everyone they could think of and then they called them again. For months.

La Quinta Inn & Suites opened in Ocean City last November. The hotel is the latest entry representing chains at the beach. It sits in the space once occupied by the Ocean Voyager Motel at 33rd Street and Coastal Highway.

A satellite location of the Humane Society of Harford County called Rescue Me! located in Harford Mall will be closed as of Tuesday after two years of operation -- and nearly 500 cat and kitten adoptions.